Doyle to see specialist over knee injury

Mike Simmonds

Hatters midfielder Nathan Doyle is set to visit a specialist today in a bid to get to the bottom of his knee problem.

The 29-year-old has been restricted to just 14 appearances so far this season, his last coming on December 6 against Peterborough in the FA Cup.

Doyle is yet to feature under new boss Nathan Jones as well and when the manager was asked why that was, he said: “Doyle’s actually been injured.

“He’s trained one or two days since I’ve been here, but he’s actually injured, he’s going to see a specialist today about a knee injury, so I haven’t actually had a look at Doyle in anything competitive.”

Apart from Doyle, the likes of Mark O’Brien and Dan Potts are still yet to play for Jones, along with Luke Trotman and Isaac Galliford, as the boss wants to evaluate them further, saying: “Everyone has a future if they can prove they can take us forward.

“The problem is we’ve had a few reserve games called off due to the success of the FA Youth Cup which means we haven’t been able to fulfil those fixtures.

“So that’s been a bit frustrating, but once I get to see those and evaluate them, then we can move forward.”

Young striker Zane Banton was back on the bench for Hatters during the 2-0 defeat at Notts County on Saturday after impressing Jones in training recently.

The 19-year-old has been on loan at Hemel Hempstead this season, and last played for Luton in November 2013, but Jones added: “He’s impressed in training, he’s been bright and is a little bit of a breath of fresh air if you like.

“He’s someone we don’t have too many of them at the club, especially with our wide ones, all three of them getting injured in the first game I’ve had.

“He’s someone who’s trained well, impressed, has a little bit of brightness about him and we feel like we can work with that.”